Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock

Step-by-Step Tutorial & Tips: Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock

Although canned turkey broth is available from the grocery store and very convenient to use, homemade turkey giblet stock, such as our Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock, will provide an unbeatable, rich turkey flavor to your homemade gravy and stuffing. Chefs refer to stocks as the “foundations of cooking” for good reason. A good homemade stock is the base not only for gravy, but for so many dishes from risottos to soups and stews.

Making homemade turkey giblet stock is well worth the effort and truly a breeze once you know how. The best part of preparing your own turkey giblet stock is knowing that it was made from all-natural ingredients and simmered slowly to capture the purest of flavors from the turkey bones and specialty meats (giblets) as well as fresh aromatic vegetables, herbs and spices.

In addition to our recipe, please review the following general tips for making homemade turkey stock. We hope you find them helpful.

Keep in mind that our stock recipe is for turkey giblet stock. It is for when you want to make a fresh, homemade stock with the specialty meats (giblets) before roasting your turkey. Alternatively, you can ask your butcher for turkey parts (wings are an excellent choice) to make a rich turkey stock before roasting your turkey.

It is best to prepare the stock a day or two in advance to keep the holiday less stressful. Keep the stock refrigerated until ready to use. If you prepare turkey stock using turkey parts from your butcher, you can prepare your stock even further in advance such as a week or two. If so, freeze the stock and then thaw when ready to use.

Always use cold water. Always. Cold. The food science explanation for this is that hot or warm water causes the meat proteins to coagulate into tiny particles that cloud the stock. However, when cold water is used, and heated slowly, the proteins clump together and rise to the surface where they can easily be skimmed away.

Never stir the stock as this will just stir up the small particles and make it cloudy as well as slightly gritty. Also, never press on the solids when straining. This will create a cloudy stock as well.

After bringing stock to a rapid simmer, always keep the stock at a bare simmer. A full rolling boil evaporates the liquid too quickly and makes the stock cloudy.

Any fat remaining after skimming the froth can easily be removed after the stock has been chilled. Simply remove the fat solids from the top of the liquid.

If adding dried herbs to your stock, consider using a tea ball or some cheesecloth to make an herb packet by gathering it and tying securely with cotton twine. With the long end of the twine, tie the herb packet to the handle of the pot. This will make removing the herbs easier.

For long term storage, keep in the freezer. You do not need special freezer containers. You can simply use heavy-duty zip-top freezer bags.

Do not discard the turkey carcass after you enjoy your holiday dinner and leftovers. Keep the entire carcass, including wing tips and a little meat and skin, for making Day-After Turkey Stock.

Finally, don’t fret. If your turkey stock is not clear, it really is no biggie. We’re not making consommé! 😉

BONUS: Did you know? You can make your own bouillon. Yep, you can! Here’s how:

To Make Homemade Bouillon: Reduce stock until it becomes syrup-like and coats the back of a spoon. Once the reduced stock cools, it will gel and become thick. Homemade bouillon will keep for 2 months stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Simply use by the teaspoon or tablespoon to enhance the flavor of gravies, sauces and soups in place of bouillon cubes.

Quick & Easy Recipe for Day-After Turkey Stock

To make Day-After Turkey Stock, here is a quick and easy recipe:

Use a large stock pot and make sure to use enough water to cover the turkey carcass and leave room for vegetables.

Over high heat, bring the stock to a rapid simmer. (Do not bring to a boil.) Reduce heat and simmer until stock is reduced by a third, about 3½ hours. Carefully strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth discarding the solids.

IMPORTANT: Cool the stock, first. It is important to cool the stock enough before refrigerating to prevent possible multiplication of harmful bacteria. Cover and refrigerate.

Stock will keep chilled for to 2 to 3 days or frozen for 3 to 6 months. Makes about 9 cups. Adapted from Bon Appétit.

What makes our Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock wicked good? Our Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock is truly a stock that stands apart from others. It is seriously wicked good! Our recipe starts with browning the turkey neck and specialty meats and then deglazing the pan for added flavor. (If you wish to kick up your stock, you may deglaze your pan with port wine.) Most recipes for turkey stock do not call for these important steps. However, even Chef Wolfgang Puck incorporates the steps of browning the turkey neck and specialty meats as well as deglazing the pan for his flavorful turkey giblet stock. Furthermore, the addition of the tangerine rinds, with the release of citrus essential oils, makes for an extraordinary stock with bright yet robust flavor notes which carry through to the gravy. While the stock is simmering, your house will be filled with a pleasing aroma like no other turkey stock recipe. It just simply is not Thanksgiving or Christmas at our house without this turkey stock!

To make Thanksgiving Day or the Christmas holiday less stressful, prepare the stock a day or two in advance. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. You will need 4 cups of this stock for our component recipes for stuffing and gravy–5-Star Apple, Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing and Golden Thanksgiving Pan Gravy.

To learn more about making homemade turkey giblet stock, please see our Turkey Giblet Stock 101 Tutorial, below the recipe, complete with step-by-step photos and instructions.

More Fabulous Thanksgiving Recipes

Meanwhile, below are links to all of my Thanksgiving recipes to date here on the blog (to include component recipes) for Brandy and Tangerine-Glazed Roasted Turkey.

Brandy and Tangerine-Glazed Roasted Turkey
Includes article and links to all of my Thanksgiving recipes here on the blog as well as including the recipe for Golden Thanksgiving Pan Gravy. In addition, a list of roasting times based on the weight of the bird, and whether you will be roasting your turkey stuffed or unstuffed, is included.

Also, you will find oodles of Tips for each component recipe listed below that can be found all in one handy place—in the Notes section of the recipe for Brandy and Tangerine-Glazed Roasted Turkey.

Herbed Tangerine Compound Butter

Roasting Pan Juices

Cider, Citrus & Herb Aromatics

Apple Cider, Brandy & Tangerine Glaze

Golden Thanksgiving Pan Gravy

Each recipe contributes phenomenal depth of flavor for an exceptional roasted holiday turkey.

5-Star Apple Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing
Includes the article 10 Tips for Making Stuffing (or Dressing) for Thanksgiving. This original recipe of mine was submitted to Allrecipes.com back in 1998. (Actually, back then, it was submitted to ThanksgivingRecipes.com before being moved to their main recipe site.) The recipe was also published in Allrecipes cookbooks. Soon after submission, the recipe went viral as newspaper food editors, grocery store chains and turkey farms were sharing the recipe with their readers. Since then, it has become a favorite recipe for Thanksgiving Stuffing around the country.

Best wishes for a wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving holiday with your families!

Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock

Description

What makes our Golden Turkey Giblet Stock wicked good? Our recipe starts with browning the specialty meats (giblets) then deglazing the pan for added flavor. (If you wish to kick up your stock, you may deglaze your pan with port wine.) Most recipes for turkey stock do not call for these important steps. The addition of tangerine rinds (if using), with the release of citrus essential oils, makes for an extraordinary stock with bright yet robust flavor notes which carry through to the gravy and stuffing. While the stock is simmering, your house will be filled with a pleasing aroma like no other turkey stock recipe. It just simply is not Thanksgiving or Christmas at our house without this magnificent turkey stock!

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil. Once the oil ripples and is hot, add the neck and giblets and cook until well browned all over, about 6 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat; add ½ cup water and deglaze, scraping up the brown bits. Return the pan to medium heat.

Add the vegetables, tangerine rind (if using), herbs and peppercorns as well as the remaining water.

Bring to a rapid simmer (do not boil), skimming the froth. Continue to cook on low heat at a bare simmer, skimming the froth occasionally, for 2 hours.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large 4-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup or bowl. There should be about 4 cups of stock. If there is more, simmer the stock until it is reduced to about 4 cups; if there is less, add enough water to measure about 4 cups.

Recipe Notes

Tips:

The stock may be made 2 days in advance. Cool completely, uncovered. Cover and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil. As you can see, I am adding light olive oil here.

Once the oil ripples and is hot, add the neck and giblets and cook until well browned all over, about 6 minutes. Be sure that you have rinsed and fully patted dry the turkey neck and specialty meats to prevent hot oil splatter when adding them to the pan. As you can see, the oil is rippling indicating that the pan and oil is hot enough to add the turkey neck and specialty meats to brown.

Here, I am using tongs to add the turkey neck to our hot saucepan with light olive oil to brown. Using tongs makes turning the turkey neck and specialty meats over for even browning very easy.

Next, we start adding the specialty meats while using tongs to turn the meats often to brown evenly.

Keep turning the neck and specialty meats often for even browning.

Remove the pan from the heat; add ½ cup water and deglaze, scraping up the brown bits. Return the pan to medium heat. Look at that flavor bursting through! Here, I am adding ½ cup water to deglaze the pan.

Here, I am using an angled wooden spatula which is so ideal in scraping up the brown bits when deglazing a pan.

Add the vegetables, rind, herbs and peppercorns as well as the remaining water. As you can see, I am adding the celery, including some of the tops, for flavor.

Next in, the carrots.

Here, I start adding the onion wedges. By keeping the onion skins intact, we are allowing more flavor to come through in our stock.

Now for the citrus rind for spectacular flavor. Here, I am adding sections of tangerine rind where the bitter white pith has been carefully removed with a paring knife. The essential oils from the tangerine are what we are after and not bitterness from the pith.

Now for the herbs. In goes the bay leaf and fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.

Here, I am adding the whole black peppercorns. Whole black peppercorns are essential for robust flavor in any stock.

Here, I am adding the remaining water.

As you can see, our turkey giblet stock is on her way. She’s looking mighty fine. The goal now is to bring the stock to a rapid simmer, but not a full boil.

Bring the stock to a rapid simmer, skimming the froth occasionally. As you can see, we are just starting to get some bubbling action.

Our stock is bubbling nicely now. However, as we get closer to boiling point, these bubbles are going to turn into an undesirable froth which must be skimmed.

As you can see, our Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock has reached a rapid simmer, just before reaching a full boil. (Do not boil.) Now it is time for the stock to cook over low heat at a bare simmer for 2 hours. Skim the froth occasionally.

As you can see here, I am skimming some froth. Next, strain the stock through a fine sieve into a large 4-cup heatproof liquid measuring cup or bowl.

Isn’t this Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock beautiful? It tastes even better! As you can see, we have already strained our stock and transfered it to a pitcher to cool and then be placed in the fridge until we are ready to use it in our component recipes for stuffing and gravy.

There should be about 4 cups of stock. If there is more, simmer the stock until it is reduced to about 4 cups; if there is less, add enough water to measure about 4 cups. As we mentioned, you will need 4 cups of this stock for our component recipes for stuffing and gravy—5-Star Apple, Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing and Golden Thanksgiving Pan Gravy.

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About Stacy

Stacy Bryce is a recipe developer and member of the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). Her passion is developing original conventional baking recipes as well as special diet recipes to include dairy-free, gluten-free and grain-free. You can follow Stacy at Pinterest.

What an interesting post! Thanks for the cold water tip – I had no clue that cold water was so much better for stock! And wow – I did not know that reduced down stock could be made into bullion’s!
This stock looks gorgeous Stacy!

I totally agree that broth/stocks are the “foundations of cooking.” I try to to make it whenever I have the time for it. I love this turkey giblet stock. I had no idea leaving the skin on the onion allows for more flavor. Thanks for the tip Stacy, will try that next time. Have a great week! 🙂Anne ~ Uni Homemaker recently posted…15 Tasty Brunch Ideas

This stock sounds wonderful and so full of flavor! Great tips and love the step-by-step pictures too Stacy, they look fabulous and super helpful 🙂 Pinning and thanks for sharing, hope you have a great week!

Oh my goodness, I can just imagine the amazing aroma as this stock simmers, Stacy. I love the combination of spicy-salty flavors you used in it, and the resulting color is beautiful! Great recipe for the holidays. Thanks for sharing!

I decided to make this for this coming thanksgiving it smells and tastes wonderful. But mine came out brown rather than golden, is it due to my boiling the liver with it too? I normally boil the neck, heart, gizard, and liver with garlic, salt, peppercorns, and sage. So normally it comes out brown.

Hi there, Shaylah! Thank you for writing with such a good question. Yes, turkey stock will always take on a darker color (brown) when the liver is cooked in the stock. This recipe only calls for the neck, heart and gizzard. This is why it is “Golden” Turkey Giblet Stock. But, do not let this concern you because you imparted some wonderful flavor from the liver. If this is how you usually make stock, by adding the liver, then you will be very happy with it in your stuffing and gravy. 🙂 Generally, I reserve the liver and cook it separately then chop it finely and add it to half of the stuffing I make because some family members prefer their stuffing without liver in it. Next Thanksgiving, or for Christmas, you can try it that way (the liver cooked separate and added to part of the stuffing) to see which method you prefer. Thanks again for writing. I hope that I have answered your question thoroughly and completely. Warmest wishes to you and yours for a wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving Day!

Hi there, Becky! Thank you for writing with such a good question. Yes, this recipe for Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock is a low-sodium recipe by design. Since I use this recipe after brining a turkey, with our popular turkey brine recipe Cider & Citrus Turkey Brine with Herbs and Spices, it is important to keep salt to a minimum for the stuffing (we bake it inside the roasting turkey) as well as for the gravy since the pan juices will be saltier with a brined turkey. In addition, I purposely left salt out of the recipe to leave it up to individual tastes and dietary needs such as those on a low-sodium diet. If you prefer a saltier homemade turkey stock, and you are not brining your turkey, simply salt to taste. I hope this information is helpful to you and that I answered your question thoroughly and completely. Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi there….this sounded so wonderful that i made it…my house smells sooo good… The one issue though is that it tastes very very bitter. Help! Tomorrow is thanksgiving and im hoping to rectify the flavor so i dont ruin the stuffing and sauce which is what i made this for. Any thoughts? Am i to expect it to be this bitter? Thanks 😉

Hi there, Anne-marie! Thank you for writing with such a good question as to how to fix or remedy a recipe’s flavor profile. Although this component recipe for Golden Thanksgiving Turkey Giblet Stock does indeed have a slight bitter taste, this gets rounded out once introduced into recipes such as stuffing and gravy. This stock really doesn’t taste well on its own as it was designed to be used specifically in making stuffing and gravy. It sounds like you may have used the tangerine rind and that perhaps some of the bitter white pith was still on the rind causing some unpleasant bitterness. Fortunately, the bitter flavor profile can be tamed down. What is needed to balance out the flavor is one or all of the following…sweet, salty and/or sour flavors as well as fat. To do this, you can add to taste pure honey for the sweet, kosher or sea salt for the salt and/or a little organic apple cider vinegar (or a nice vinegar you have on hand). These flavor profiles are well known for balancing any offset bitterness and saving a dish. You cannot go wrong with adding salt because the stock is low-sodium by nature and this allows the cook to season with salt to taste. A little extra sweetness from the honey or zing from the apple cider vinegar will only enhance the flavors when added to stuffing or to make the gravy. Remember, you will be also adding a little fat to make the gravy from the pan juices after roasting your turkey and perhaps melted butter in your stuffing. Fat always rounds out other flavors and improves dishes…similar to whisking in butter to finish a sauce. Thanks again or writing. I hope that I have answered your question thoroughly and completely. I just know that everyone will enjoy your stuffing and gravy with this exceptional homemade turkey stock. 🙂 Wishing you and yours a fun and meaningful Thanksgiving Day holiday!

Welcome to My Kitchen

My name is Stacy. I'm a recipe developer, food writer, baker and member of the IACP. I love to concoct tasty baked creations to share with others—both traditional and gluten-free. Welcome to my Wicked Good Kitchen!